Man’s voice: “Yes. We’re sending rebel prisoners under guard to fetch their dead comrades as soon as possible. Probably this afternoon. Looks to me like looters have already been through his pockets. We’re arresting looters. Somebody got his shoes, gloves, and hat. Was it you?”

Female voice: “No sir. This is a Christian home.”

Man’s voice: “Oh yeah, we know all about you half-breed Indian Christians. Is your father here?”

Female voice: “No sir, but now the shooting has stopped, I hope he will be here tonight.”

Man’s voice: “Where is he?”

Female voice: “He is on his way back here from Fort Niagara.”

Male voice: “Whose side is he on today?”

Female voice: “You must know, sir, he’s been loyal to the Crown since the Treaty of Paris.”

Male voice: “Oh, sure. (loudly) Sergeant Wilcox! Find anything out there?”

“No sir, nothing out in the warehouse but eleven bales of furs. The bills of lading on all of ’em say ‘Consigned to Hudson Bay Company.’ You want us to check the roof, sir?”

Male voice: “No. We can see the roof from the building across the street.”

Male voice: (quieter) “Now little princess, if you get lonely tonight, just come see me and I’ll keep you warm.”

I heard the door separating the warehouse and the apartment close.

A few minutes later the bookcase clicks and pivots open. She enters carrying a lantern, a large green bottle full of a clear liquid, and a small orange-colored glass bottle with a cork stopper and says cheerfully, “Good to see you are still alive. My name is Marie Sirois. What is your name?”

“Nathanael Newman.”

“Good. Nathanael. That’s a good Christian name. Are you a believer?”

“Yes. And you?”

“Certainly. And we can talk about all that and more after we get you cleaned up so we know how badly you are hurt.” At this, she takes the stopper out of one of the bottle, pours some of it into the cup of boiled water, and says, “Please drink this. It’s laudanum. It will ease your pain so we can try walking again. I will be back in a few minutes after it takes effect so we can try getting you up. I’m going to stoke the stove in the bathing room.”

I had no idea what she was talking about. She was back in fifteen minutes and by then the laudanum had taken effect and I was relatively pain free. Helping me as she had before, we shuffled to a door at the end of the hall. When she opened it, I was stunned.